Automatic electric cut-off.



PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905.

RL M. GRIFFITH AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CUT-CPP.

a sHimTs-snmz'r 1;

v APYLIOATION FILED IAN. 16, 1905.v

fil.

#a CM www a nimm co. momurunumwnzz. wAsmnsmn, u. cA

Nvo. 797,198.A PATENTED AUG.15, 1905. R, M. GRIFFITH.

AUTOMATIC BLEGTMG GUT-OFP.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 19.05.

www. B. GRAHAM co. wom-umonmpwins. wAsmNmoN. v. c.

No.797,198. PATBNTED AUC.I5;1.9C5.

' R. M. GRIFFITH.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CUT-CTT.

APPLIOATIO FILED JAN. 16, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET. 3.

through the lineA B.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE.

AUTomAT'lo ELECTRIC CUT-OFF.

Specification of Letters lEatent.Y

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed January 16, 1905. Serial No. 241.341.

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, RoY M. GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elwood, county of Madison, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Cut-OES, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a means connected to electric conducting-wires, whereby the current or currents are cut off at certain iixed or predetermined times and whereby the current or currents are turned on or off at certain other predetermined times, as hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of this invention is to provide a means to be attached to a clock or to be embodied in the construction of a time-clock whereby at certain periods of the day and night electric currents for supplying power or light will be turned otf or the current be broken during one portion or that portion of the day when not required and the current turned on and the circuit opened when required during the remaining or any other portion oi' the day when required, also to provide an adjustable or setting means whereby the current may be cut off by breaking' or closing the circuit and turned on by opening or connecting the circuit and to construct such means that the circuit may be opened or closed at any predetermined time or times.

` ing my time cut-off mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the same looking in the direction o1 the arrow c. Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the same looking' in the direction of the arrow Fig. 4 is a plan View ot' the lower iiXed ring of the cutout switch. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same looking in the direction of the arrow c. Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of the same, taken (See Fig. 4.) Fig. 7 is a plan view of the revolving' switch-ring. Fig. 8 is a sectional View of the same, taken through the line C D. (See Fig. 7.) Fig. 9 is an inverted plan view of the upper fixed ringof the switch. Fig. 10 is a sectional view ofthe same,taken through the line E F. (See n Fig. 9.) Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of one of the time-setting dials. Fig. 12 is a side view of the same. Fig. 13 is a plan view or' the cam-lever. Fig.' 14 is a perspective view of the same. Fig. 15 is a perspective View ot' the pawl-carrying lever. Fig. 16 is a perspective view ofthe ratchet-wheel. Fig. 17 is a side elevational view ot' the throw-out cam-disk. Fig. 18 is a diagram view of the switch-regulating mechanism, and Fig'. 19 is a detail perspective view of the throw-out retaining-spring.

The framework whereby the clock mechanism is carried comprises an upper plateframe 1 and a lower plate-frame 2, in which the ends ot' the spindles of the various gears of the clockwork are journaled.

The minute-hand 3 and the hour-hand 4, which are mounted in the usual manner on the spindle 5, are driven at their relative velocities by suitable gearing' (by the usual gear mechanism, not shown) peculiar to all clocks, which spindle is connected to the main drivewheel 6, connected to the spring-drum 7, in which latter is inclosed a spiral spring' for driving the clock mechanism.

A wheel 8 is mounted on the spindle 9, on which is also mounted a spring-drum 10, similar -to the spring-d rum 7, in which drum a coilspring is inclosed and arranged to rotate or drive the gear-wheel 8. The velocity of the gear-wheel 8 is controlled by means of a vfangovernor 17, which is driven by the train of gears 11 12 13 14, meshing with the gear 15 on the governor-spindle 16, on which spindle said tan-governor 17 is secured to turn therewith.

The gear-pinion 18, secured on the spindle 19 and situated beneath the pinion 13, meshes with the gear-wheel 20, secured on the spindle 21 to rotate the latter. On the spindle 21 is secured the retaining-disk 22, on diamctrically opposite sides of the periphery of which are Jformed the notches 22, which are provided or the purpose hereinafter set forth.

A spindle 23 is pivoted in the top and bottom plate-frames at one side or' the retainingdisk 22, and projecting from the said spindle 23 is the arm 24 and the bent end 25 of which is held in contact with the periphery ot' the retaining-disk 22 by a suitable coil-spring 26. Extendingfrom the said spindle 23 is the arm 27, the bent locking end 28 of which is adapted to engage the notches 29, formed in the stopdisk 30, which disk is connected to the springdrum 1() to be rotated in the direction indiin the disk 30, to permit said locking` bentl end or catch 28 to engage one of the notches 29 n to prevent a further rotation of the drivinggear 8 and to hold the same and all the mechanism connected thereto stationary till said catch 28 is again released.

' The gear-wheel 8 meshes with the gearwheel 31 to turn the spindle 32, on which'latter is securely mounted the revolving switchring 33, which latter is situated on said spindle 32 between the fixed top switch-ring 34 and the fixed bottom switch-ring 35. The top switch-ring 34 is constructed of hard rubber, fiber, or other suitable insulating mate-` rial formed in a continuous ring and is of a diameter equal to the switch-ring 33 (see Figs. 9 and 10) and is secured to the `supporting metallic ring or plate 35, which latter is suspended from the top frame 1 by the depending posts 36.i Switch contacting or conducting plates 37 are situated on diametrically opposite sides of the center of and securedto the face of the insulating-ring 34, and connected to said contacting' or conducting p lates 37 are the negative conducting-wires 38. Recesses 39 are formed in the insulating-ring 34 and are provided for the purpose of permitting the switch-contacting spring-plates 40 of the revolving switch-ring 33 to be quickly released frorn their contacting or conducting plates. When the said switch-ring 33 is revolved,to remove the contacting spring-plates 40 from the contacting plates 37 said springplates 40 when they reach the edges of the contacting plates adjacent the opposing recesses are simultaneously and quickly released to quickly break the contact between the spring contacting plates 4 0 and the contacting plates 37 and 41.

The lower fixed switch-ring 35, which is of the same diameter and is similarly constructed as the upper switch-ring 34, is provided with the face-contacting plates 41, to which are connected the positive conducting-wires 42. Similarly-constructed gaps 42 are formed in said switch-ring 35 adjacent to the contacting or conducting plates 4l and are provided for the same purpose as the recesses 39 of the switch-ring 37, and the said upper switch-ring 34 and the lower switch-ring 35 are so situated relatively to each other that the contacting plates 41, together with their adjacent recesses 43, fall directly beneath the contacting plates 37 and the recesses 39, respectively, of the upper switch-ring 34, and thus when the spring contacting' plates 40 are simultaneously brought into contact with the contacting plates 37 and 41 the circuit is immediately made.

The revolving switch-ring 33, situated between the upper and the lower lixed switchrings 34 and 35, is secured on the spindle 32 to turn therewith, and said revoluble switch-ring 33 is provided with upper and lower rings 44, composed of a non-conducting' material, such as vulcanite, fiber, or the like, secured on the top and bottom sides of the switch-ring` 33, and said switch-ring 33 and the rings 44 are concentric with the upper and lower fixed switch-rings 34 and 35.

The upper and lower spring contacting plates 40 are situated on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of said revoluble switch-rings 44 on the directly opposite faces thereof, so that the opposing spring-plates 4() will be directly above the lower spring-plate and they being' thus situated will simultaneously contact the contacting plates 37 and 41 to close or make the connection and also be simultaneously released to break contact with said plates to break or open the circuit.

An upper insulated negative connecting-bar 46 and a lower insulated positive connectingbar 47 connect the upper negative and the lower positive contacting spring-plates, situated on diametrically opposite sides of the revolving switch-ring, situated and secured on the opposing upper and lower faces of said revolving switch.

A throw-'out rod 48 is adapted to slide in suitable bearings 49 and 50, and said throwout rod is provided at one end with a loop or eye 51, which encirclcs the arm 27 intermediate the bend 28 and the pivotal axis of the latter, and on the opposite end of said throwout rod exterior of the bearing 49 is formed the T-head 52, which head is adapted to engage both the throw -out and multiple cams 54 and 55. The throw-out spring 53 is adapted to engage the T-head 52 of the throw-out rod 48 to retain the latter in contact with the multiple-cam disks 54 and 55, which are situated side by side or nearly touching and on the same axial center line and are secu red on the shafts 56 and 57, respectively, which latter are operated to turn, together with their respective cam-disks, independently of each other. The shafts 56 and 57 are journaled in suitable bearings 58 and 59, formed integral on the uprights 60 and 61, formed on the base 62. On the outer ends of the shafts 56 and 57 exterior of the uprights 60 and 61 are secured the ratchet-wheels 63 and 64. Pawl-carrying levers 65 and 66 are pivoted on the shafts 56 and 57 intermediate the uprights 60 and 61 and the ratchet-wheels 63 and 64, and carried by said pawl-carrying levers 65 and 66 are the pawls 67 and 68, which pawls are adapted to be independentlyoperated to engage the ratchet-wheels 63 and 64 to turn the cam-disks a portion of a revolution to cause,first,one of the series of cams to quickly engage and then release the T-head 52 to move the throw-out rod 48 to disengage the bend 28 with the disk 80 to permit the latter to make one-fourth of a turn, and thereby rotate the switch-ring 88 one-fourth of a revolution to break the circuit. The cam-levers 69 and 70 are pivoted intermediate their ends on the pins 71 and 72, carried by the supportingstandards 78 and 74. On one of the ends of each of the cam-levers 69 and 70 are secured the pins 75 and 76, which pins engage the slots 77, formed in said pawl-carrying levers to operate said pawl-carrying levers when the cams 69 and 70 are depressed at their cam-operated ends 78. The cam-operated ends 78 of said cam-operated levers 69 and 70 are constructed, as shown in Fig. 14, with a rounded contacting top portion, which is preferably so constructed to permit the said cams to freely slide upon and the more readily contact with the least sliding resistance between the surfaces of the cams 79 and 8() of the settingdisks 81 and 82 and the said ends 78 of the cam-operated levers.

The camedisks 81 and 82, each of which are constructed alike, are provided with a longitudinally-split hub 88, which hub is bored and adapted to tightly lit on either the hubs of the gear-wheels 84 and 85 to turn therewith, but not so tight as to prevent said disks from being moved by hand to set them.

Indicator-pointers 86 and 87 are secured on the gears 84 and 85 to turn therewith, and said pointers are bent over the faces of their disks, so that their pointed ends are contiguous to the number on the face of the disk at which the latter is set.

The operation of 'the above-described is as follows: One of the setting disks or dials, as the disk 81, is first set to a certain predetermined time, so that its cam 79 at a certain point of the revolution of the hour gearwheel 84 will operate the lever 69 at said time to cause a partial rotation of the cam-disk 54, through its pawl-and-ratchet mechanism, to cause one of the cams 54, formed on its periphery, to operate the spring 58 to move the throw-out rod 48 to cause the arm 27 to disengage its locking, or bent end 28 with one of the notches 29 of the disk 8O to release the same to permit the drive gear-wheel 8, which meshes with the wheel 80, secured on the spindle 82 ofthe revoluble switch-ring 88,to make a portion of a revolution, thereby causing the switch-ring 88 to make one-fourth of a revolution, which movement of the switch-ring causes the contacting plates 4() to be moved into contact with the surfaces of the switch-rings 87 and 88, thereby breaking the contact between said conducting-plates 87and 41 and said contacting plates 40 to shut oif the iiow of current. The movementimparted tothemultiple-disk cam54 causes the latter to revolve from a to 'b, and when said dial 81 has completed its next tact the lever 69 to again cause a partial rotation of the multiple-cam disk 54--that is, a rotation from b to c equivalent to the arc situated between two cams. This are being concentric with the center of its disk does not disturb the spl'ing 58. Thus the throw-rod does not move to disengage the bend 28 of the arm 27 to disengage one of the notches 29 of the disk 80 to release the latter to permit a movement of the revoluble switclrring 88, and thus the switch-ring 88 is caused to be operated hy the single disk 81 only one time during twenty-four hours, and in order that a second motion be im parted a second and independentsetting-disk 82 and th-row-outmechanism similar to the disk 81 and its throw-out mechanism must be provided, as previously described. The setting-disk 82 is next set to a predetermined time, so that its cam will operate to move the lever 70 to operate the camdisk 55 through its connecting mechanism to cause a movement of the throw-out rod 48 to again release the disk 8O to permit another quarter-revolution of the switch-ring 88 to cause its spring contacting plates 40 to again contact with the contacting plates 87 and 41 to open the circuit, and thus the electric circuit is alternately made and broken at certain predetermined or fixed times during the day or night.

Having thus fully described this my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to cover by Letters Patent of the United States therefor, is-

1. In an automatic electric-current cut-off, the combination with an electric switch, comprising upper and lower fixed switch-rings of an insulatingl or other non-conducting material having a common center, and a revoluble'ring situated intermediate said upper and lower rings and having its axis concentric with the centers of said upper and lower switch-rings, contacting' plates secured on the faces of each of said upper and lower rings at diametrically opposing sides of the centers of the same, ripper and lower spring contacting plates secured to the insulated faces of said revoluble switch-ring and situated on diametrical opposite sides of the axis of the latter and arranged to simultaneously contact the contacting plates of said upper and lower fixed switch-rings, connecting-bars connecting the diametrical opposite positive and negative spring contacting plates situated on opposite faces of said revoluble switch-ring, and means for operating said revoluble switchring, of a time-clock mechanism, means connected to said clock mechanism whereby the switclroperated mechanism is periodically released to operate said revoluble switch to make or break the electric circuit.

2. In an automatic electric-current cut-off, the combination with an electric switch, the clock mechanism for operating said switch and means for retaining said switch clock mechanism at rest, of a throw-out rod, as described,

a cam-disk having a series of peripheral cams, a revoluble time-setting dial connected to said time-clock mechanism, and means situated between said time-setting dial for intermittingly operating' said cam-disk.

3. In an automatic electric-current cut-off, the combination with an electric switch, a clock mechanism for driving said electric switch comprising a main drive-wheel, a governingfan and a series of intermediate gears connecting said governing-fan and said inain drivewheel, a notched disk concentric with said main drive-wheel and arranged to turn therewith, a swinging' arm having a bent end adapted to engage the notches of said notched disk, and yielding means for retaining' the bent end of said swinging arm in engagement with the notches of4 said disk, a revoluble cam-disk, a throw-out rod extending between said swinging arm and cam-disk, a time-setting disk connected to be driven by said time-clock mechanism and means connecting said time-disk and said disk cam to intermittingly rotate said disk cam.

4. In an automatic electric-current cut-off, the combination with an electric switch, an independent clock mechanism for driving said electric switch, comprising' a main drive- Wheel, a governing-fan and a series of intermediate gears connecting' said governing-fan and said main drive-wheel, a notched disk concentric with said main drive-wheel and arranged to turn therewith, a swinging arm having a bent end adapted to engage the notches of said notched disk and means for yielding'ly retaining the bent end of said swinging arm in engagement with the notches of said disk, of a revoluble cam-disk, a throw-out rod extending between said swinging arm and said cam-disk, a time-setting' disk driven by said clock mechanism, a time-setting disk and a time-setting disk cam, means connecting said time-disk and said cam-disk to intermittingly rotate the latter, comprising a lever mechanism, a pawl, a ratchet-wheel and a cam-disk shaft, and means for supporting' said cam-disk shaft.

5. In an automatic electric-current cut-oft', the combination with an electric switch, a clock mechanism for driving said electric switch comprising a main drive-wheel, a governingfan and a series of intermediate gears connecting said governing-fan and said main drivewheel, a notched disk concentric with said main drive-wheel and arranged to turn therewith, a swinging arm having a bent end adapted to engage the notches of said notched disk, and yielding' means for retaining the bent end of said swinging arm in engagement with the notches of said disk, of a revoluble cam-disk, a throw-out rod extending between said swinging arm and cam-disk having' one end looped around said swinging arm, and a T-head g formed on its opposite or cam-contacting'end,

a time-setting' disk connected to be driven by said time-clock mechanism, means connecting said time-disk and said Cain-disk to intermittingly rotate said cam-disk, comprising a lever mechanism, a pawl, a ratchet-wheel and a cam-disk shaft, and means 'for supporting said cani-disk shaft.

6. In an automatic electric-current eut-ofi", the combination with an electric switch. a clock mechanism for driving said electric switch comprising' a main drive-wheel, a governing-fan and a series of intermediate g'ears connecting said governing-fan and said main drive-wheel, a notched disk concentric with said main drive-wheel and arranged to turn therewith, a swinging arm having a bent end adapted to engage the notches of said notched disk, and yielding' means for retaining' the bent end of said swinging arm in engagement with the notches of said disk, of a revoluble cam-disk, a throw-out rod extending between said swinging' arm and cam-disk having' one end looped around said swinging arm, and a T-head formed on its opposite or cam-contacting end, and means for yieldingly retaining said T-head in contact with said cams, a time-setting disk connected to be driven by said time-clock mechanism, means connecting said time-disk and said cam-disk to intermittingly rotate said cam-disk, comprisingalever mechanism a pawl, a ratchet-wheel and a camdisk shaft, and means for supporting said camdisk shaft.

7. In an automatic electric-current cut-ofi', the combination with an electric switch, a clock mechanism for driving' said electric switch comprising a main drive-wheel, ageverning-fan and a series of intermediate gears connecting' said governing-fan and said main drive-wheel, a notched disk concentric with said main drive-wheel and arranged to turn therewith, a swinging arm having' a bent end adapted to engage the notches of said notched disk, and yielding means for retaining thc bent end of said swinging arm in engagement with the notches of said disk, of a revoluble cam-disk, a throw-out rod extending between said swinging' arm and cam-disk having one end looped around said swlnging arm, and a T-head formed on its opposite or cam-contacting end, a vertically extending' platespring having its free end situated back of said T-head and adapted to yieldingly retain the latter in contact-with said cam-disk, a time-setting disk connected to be driven by said time-clock mechanism, means connecting said time-disk and said cam-disk to intermittingly rotate said cam-disk, comprising' a lever mechanism, a pawl, a ratchet-wheel, and a cam-disk shaft, and means for supporting said cam-disk shaft.

8. In an automatic electric-current cut-ofi", the combination with an electric switch, a clock mechanism for driving said electric switch comprising a main drive-wheel, a governingfan and a series of intermediate gears connecting said governing-fan and said main drive-wheel, a notched disk concentric with said main drive-wheel and arranged to turn therewith, a swinging arm having a bent end adapted to engage the notches of said notched disk, and yielding means for retaining the bent end of said swinging arm in engagement With the notches of said disk, of a pair oi.' revoluble cam-disks situated side by side, a throwout rod extending between said swinging arm and cam-disk having one end looped around said swinging arm, and a T-head formed on its opposite or cam-contacting end, a vertically-extending plate-spring having its free endl situated back of said T-head and adapted 

